An 87-year-old was killed by a herd of ‘beserk’ cows when she walked her dog in the countryside.

Hilary Adair was knocked to the ground by Belted Galloway cattle and repeatedly attacked as she tried to get up.

A coroner has now said there needs to be more awareness of the dangers that cows can pose.

An inquest heard how Mrs Adair was walking over Linchmere Common in Sussex with her dog at the start of this year.

She was unaware that the same herd of cattle had chased and attacked a couple the previous day, leaving the husband ‘covered in blood.’

Mrs Adair’s daughter Susan Berrisford said had her mother known the cows had been ‘spooked,’ she would never have taken that route and added that the cattle should have been removed from the common.

Bryony Dillamore witnessed the attack on Mrs Adair on January 7 and called the ambulance.

She told the inquest in Crawley: ‘I didn’t see any signs to indicate that it was not safe to enter the common.

‘I then noticed that the cattle surrounding what I then understood was an elderly person… with blood all over her head and chest.’

Ms Dillamore said that every time Mrs Adair moved, the cattle would become more aggressive towards her.

She added: ‘I believe the cattle were completely out of control.’

Mrs Adair was airlifted to St George’s Hospital in London but died of her injuries on January 14.

Rachel Thompson told the inquest how she and her husband Carl were set upon by the same cattle herd the day before.

She said the pair were talking when they ‘got the sensation that some cows had come behind us.’

Ms Thompson continued: ‘We had heard one bellowing and my husband said “run” and we did.

‘One of them hit me in the right side of the ribs and knocked me flying.

‘I was lying there terrified.

‘I was waiting to be trampled, I was bracing myself for it.’

Her husband managed to beat them away with a stick and she got back to her feet, she told the court.

The attack continued and it was some time before they managed to escape the field.

Mr Thompson – who was left bleeding from his injuries – said the cattle had ‘gone beserk’.

They contacted The Lynchmere Society, which owns the common, and were put in touch with Lynchmere Community Grazing CIC, the company which owns and looks after the cattle.

Edwin Brooks, one of the directors of the grazing company and who cares for the cattle said that they examined the livestock that night, but at that point were not aware of the seriousness of the first attack.

He told the inquest: ‘I thought this was an isolated incident.’

The cattle were moved to another area of the common and Mr Brooks and his colleague made plans to ‘monitor the situation’ and check on the cattle the next morning.

The next day Mrs Adair and her dog were attacked by the herd, with fatal consequences.

He said the cows were moved and are not yet back on common land.

Senior coroner Penelope Schofield returned a conclusion of accidental death, adding it will probably never be known what caused the cows to attack.

She added: ‘Mrs Adair was particularly vulnerable. She really didn’t stand a chance against a herd of agitated cows.

‘It is particularly sad that she met her death on the very land that she loved so much.

‘There must be some learning that comes out of this tragic incident.

‘Even the most docile cow will attack if they feel threatened.’

She said she hoped that Mrs Adair’s death raises awareness of the dangers of cattle if they are antagonised and that people should take care when they see cows.

After the inquest, the Lynchmere Society and Lynchmere Community Grazing CIC, said they offered their ‘sincerest condolences’ to Mrs Adair’s family.

The voluntary organisations added they were working with the community to decide on future grazing on the common.

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